01/03/2010 IT’S ALL GOOD. ALWAYS!

IT’S ALL GOOD.  ALWAYS!

 

“And they knelt down & paid him homage.  Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, & myrrh.”

 Matthew 2:11b (NRSV)

 

          What would God have us do?

 

          On Saturday, January 23, the people of Christ Church will once again set forth goals for the congregation.  We’ve done this before.  Many of you do it annually at work, & personally.  Sports teams, musical groups, & community organizations establish goals.  Students set academic goals.  Adults & teens set career goals.  We decide what we want to do, put steps in place to meet the objectives, & get working on them.  Goals are nothing new for many of us. 

 

          Church goals, though, are a bit different.  They are a faith quest.  We don’t just think about what we want to do.  We prayerfully consider what God would have us do.  After all, the church belongs to God.  Although many of us refer to this place as “our church,” we know that this place, this ministry, these people -- we -- belong to God.

 

          I always encourage each of us to establish personal goals only after con-sulting God first.  God made us.  Christ redeems us.  The Holy Spirit empowers us.  All of which says that God has plans & insights for us, individually, that are the best.  God knows.  Consult God first.  It’s the wisest & best thing we can do. 

 

          I said that I “encourage” each of us as God’s adopted children (Eph. 1:5) to invite God to weigh in on our life goals.  I insist, however, that as the church, we put God first in the process.  Why “insist?”  Well, there are a few reasons.

 

          First, we are the Body of Christ.  Christ is the head of the church (Eph. 5:23).  We are the arms & legs, hands & feet.  Let’s use our head -- Christ.  Let his will decide what we are to do.  God always accomplishes His will through persons.  At Christ Church, we’re those persons. 

 

          Second, don’t we want to be doing what God wants, not just what we want?  It’s like the 1950’s television series, “Father Knows Best.”  We need to inquire of Jesus’ Father as the One who knows best.  We’re not just any business, organization, or family.  We’re one that belongs to God & pledges ourselves to God.  What would God have us do?

 

          Third, does it make good sense to come up with our own idea, then ask for God’s blessing upon it?  Some persons & churches take that approach.  Wouldn’t it be better to discern God’s intention for us first, then do it?  When we’re doing what God would have us do, that’s a blessing in itself.  We don’t have to plead for a blessing over the idea when God’s the originator of the idea in the first place!  Save a step.  Begin by asking: What would God have us do?

 

          So, I ask:  What would God have us do?

 

          I don’t have that answer.  (All of that build up to admit my cluelessness!  Is that really a surprise for those of you who know me!?!) 

 

I can poke fun at myself, but let me ask you:  Do you have the answer?  Even if I did have the answer, it’s not about what I want to do & expecting you to do it.  It’s not about what you want to do & expecting me to do it.  It’s about each of us prayerfully seeking God’s will for us, then prayerfully discerning it, then each of us offering our gifts to bring life to that plan.  You do your part & bring your best.  I do my part & bring my best.  We pray, decide, & work together.  We’re a faith family, a faith community.  We’re integrally, spiritually connected.  We’re the Body of Christ working together, not just a collection of individual parts doing our own things.

 

          So, if we don’t know what God would have us do, how do we figure it out?  What will help us on this holy, spiritual quest? Does the Bible provide any hints, any tentative ideas, any parameters within which we can work in order to discover God’s will for us? 

 

Indeed, no surprise, the Bible is a help.  Let’s hear what the scriptures say.  Then, let’s apply those teachings in a practical way in order to discover God’s intentions for us, so we can act on our mission to transform lives in the love of Jesus Christ.

 

          Let’s start with Isaiah.  The great prophet tells us that despite our ignorance, or “darkness” as he calls it, our light has come.  That light is Christ.  He arrived on Christmas.  He’s here.  We need to arise, embrace that light, & shine for him.  When we do – when we shine for Christ & share his light – people, even ones we never expected, will gather here & be transformed by his love.

 

          Matthew talks about three wise seekers after the Light.  Notice that they are outsiders.  The insider, King Herod, contrary to what one would like to believe, is not really seeking the Light of the star for good, wholesome, & holy purposes.  As King of the Jews, one would assume he’s sincere.  The three kings did.  Only after a dream did they get a clue about his evil intentions.  Herod is quite aware of the Light, but is self-serving in his search for it.  His real purpose is to forever douse the Light, so he can selfishly shine.

 

          The three magi teach us that as pagan astrologers who are not a part of the religious “in” crowd, they still have something to offer.  And they do offer something of great value.  They make sacrifices by travelling as far as they did, as well as bringing to Christ themselves, their sincere hearts, & their most valuable gifts.  The result?  Herod the Great & his cohorts do not get to see Christ.  The three kings do.  They really are the wise ones in this story.   In the process, they teach us how to seek God & God’s will.

 

          One can also expect that any goal given to us by God may not come from the pastors or elected leaders of the church council.  We can anticipate that someone not a part of the “in” crowd may well present the idea that puts us on a new path.  That someone may be unknown to us, new to us, or may be someone known to us, who has embarked on a new spiritual path with Christ, unlike anything s/he has ever experienced with faith before.  Don’t write off the outsider.

 

          Finally, the Apostle St. Paul, sounding almost like Isaiah, but with a New Testament twist, tells us that by sharing the boundless riches of Christ that we already have (building on the past), we can help ourselves & others see what is otherwise a mystery.  We can see God’s plan when we share that which is valuable to us & about us – our spiritual gifts, talents, time, treasures.

 

          So, just like the Magi, we must share something of great value.  God’s grace does not come cheaply.  Jesus died for that grace to be so copiously revealed in our lives through salvation in him.  Similarly, we must bring some-thing of ourselves, some priceless gift to share with God & others in order for the mystery of God’s will to be revealed.[1]

 

So, combining these three lessons, what are the guidelines to help us discern God’s will for us?  Three points.

1)    The goal God has in mind for us … shares with others the light of Christ that we have.

2)    The goal God has in mind for us … requires a unique gift – a sacri-fice or something of value - from each of us.  (We share Christ, yes, but also share ourselves.  Every church is to share Christ.  It is sharing Christ, in tandem with sharing that which is unique to this church, that is key to serving this corner of the kingdom.  It makes our goal both unique & successful.  It may not work anywhere else but here, because it accounts for who we are in Christ.)

3)    The goal God has in mind for us … is open to exciting & unexpected possibilities.

4)     

When we fulfill these parameters, Isaiah says people will come.  Matthew says we will see Christ.  St. Paul says the mystery will no longer be hidden, because the way ahead is clear.  It’s all good!

 

Indeed, whenever we do what God wants, it’s all good, always!

         

In the Name….                         Copyright 2010 by G.D.Knerr at Lansdale, Pa.  All rights reserved.